Funke Akindele, Star Nollywood Actress, Robbed!

Dare devil-armed robbers, last week, robbed star actress, Funke Akindele at gun point in Ojodu area of Lagos. The popular actress, popularly known as ‘Jenifa’ was returning home from a visit and was in the car with some people when the armed men double-crossed her car and demanded that she handed over her valuables or risk being shot.

The actress, it was learnt, promptly obeyed and gave the sons of the gun her Blackberry phones and a bag full of money. One of the armed men who recognized her later threw a bundle of N50 000 into the car saying: ‘Jenifa, use that one to take care of yourself’. Funke was said to have been visibly shaken after the encounter and left the venue thanking God that her life was spared.

A close aide of the actress told Showbiz Now that the actress is still in a state of shock, lamenting the loss of enormous contacts and an undisclosed amount of money. ‘Funke cannot talk much now o. She is still in shock but grateful no one was hurt in the car’.

The actress, we learnt, has also postponed the premiere of her highly anticipated movie, Omo Ghetto which was to take place at the National Arts Theatre on October 24. The reason behind the postponement is still unclear and no one can say for sure if the robbery incident has anything to do with it.

EFCC files fresh charges against El-Rufai

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday at the FCT High Court filed fresh charges against Nasir El-Rufai, former Minister of the FCT.


It will be recalled that El-Rufai was on Wednesday in Abuja discharged by a Federal High Court on the eight-count charge for lack of jurisdiction to try the case.


Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court had said that the charges were brought under the Independent and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, which had been repealed.


Confirming the filing of the suit by EFCC lawyer, Head, Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr Femi Babafemi, said that EFCC, through Mr Adebayo Adelodun (SAN) filed an eight count charge against El-Rufai.


The EFCC, he said filed charges on May 5 against El-Ruafai over alleged criminal conspiracy and abuse of office.


The charges, he said included irregular revocation and re-allocation of a parcel of land originally belonging to PHCN Plc.


``As you well remember, the Federal High Court through the Honourable Justice Bello said that the court lacked the jurisdiction to try the accused.


``He also said that the charges ought to have been filed under the amended Act of 2003 at the FCT High Courts.


``The EFCC had earlier investigated a petition chronicling allegations of abuse of office against Malam El-Rufai.


``On how he allocated government land to his friends, wives and family members, in flagrant breach of the Abuja master plan.


``The former minister, between 2003-2007, allocated 10 plots of land in choice areas of Abuja and in various sizes to his family members.


``Those, who got the land include his wife, Hadiza Isma El-Rufai, who got two plots, one in the Asokoro District and the other in the Kubwa district.


``Other family members who were allegedly allocated plots are Bashir A El-Rufai, Asia Ahmad El-Rufai, Ibrahim El-Rufai, and Binta Ahmed El-Rufai.


Also included are Tijani Rufai, Rufai Hamza, and Ali Rufai,'' Babafemi said.

Voter registration: INEC set to award DDC machine contracts —Jega

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said in Abuja on Thursday that the revalidation of quotations for the procurement of the Direct Data Capture Machines to be used for voter registration had been completed.

Jega made this known at the INEC Federal Capital Territory stakeholders meeting, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

He said the process of procuring the machines was fully on course while the contracts would be signed next week.

Supervising National Commissioner of INEC in the FCT, Dr. Chris Iyimoga, represented Jega at the event.

Jega said INEC initiated a process of asking all original respondents to the commission’s Request For Quotations to revalidate their quotations, to prevent claims of misunderstanding.

“In the spirit of accountability, INEC rejected the demand for price variation demanded by manufacturers with the best quoted price for the entire procurement, which pleaded that it under-quoted on the printer requested by the commission,” he said.

He said INEC decided that all the 11 respondents would revalidate their quotations with more comprehensive RFQs.

“This process of revalidation has been completed and the commission has fully negotiated with the selected companies,” Jega said.

He said the manufacturers had physically demonstrated their equipment, using INEC software, “and we are now going through the process of approvals.”

Jega said the commission had recorded success on the software currently being field-tested nationwide.

“The tests have been very successful, recording an average registration time of between three and four minutes per registrant,” he added.

The INEC boss said the commission had developed comprehensive operational plans for both the registration of voters and elections, including day to day activities, deliverables and financial implications.

He added that INEC had commenced work with development partners to establish an electronic real time monitoring of the registration process and elections, with the possibility of integrating high quality videos.

‘Okah, bomber exchanged 1,126 phone calls in 54 days’

The South African prosecutors in the case against the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Mr. Henry Okah, on Thursday tendered more evidence against the terror suspect at a Johanesburg Magistrate’s court.

The evidence includes 1126 telephone calls he made to one of the suspects, Mr. Ben Ebere (aka Ben Jessy), between August 7, 2010 and September 29, 2010. He was also said to have sent 59 Short Message Systems to Ebere between July1 and September 2010.

Ebere and Chima Orlu, who the prosecutors added was also in constant contact with Okah before and on October 1, were declared wanted by the Police shortly after the October 1 twin car bombings that killed 16 people and injured 66 others.

The MEND leader is facing trial in South Africa for allegedly being the mastermind of the blasts. He had on Wednesday told the court that the case against him was flawed.

His brother, Charles, was among a new set of suspects arraigned in secret before an Abuja Magistrate’s court on Thursday.

When the hearing of Okah’s bail application resumed on Thursday in South Africa, the prosecutors tendered a supplementary affidavit revealing his communication, with Orlu and Ebere.

However, the affidavit didn’t state the content of the telephone calls and messages.

According to the affidavit deposed to by Lt. Col. Noel Zeeman of the South African Police Service, Orlu had 43 voice calls and exchanged 27 SMSs with his “co-conspirators and co-perpetrators” on the day of the blasts in Abuja.

The affidavit reads in part, “Orlu‘s telephone records have revealed that he had been in contact with the accused (Okah) on numerous occasions leading up to October 1.

“Of greater significance is that Orlu had sent an SMS message to the accused (Okah) at precisely 10. 58:59am on Oct. 1, 2010.

“This SMS was followed by another SMSs from Orlu at 13. 13:01am and again at 13. 29:59pm the same day.”

It said that SMSs were also sent to Orlu by Okah on September 30, 2010 at 12.38:11p.m and on October 1 at 6.02:39am, 7.40:20am, 7.41:22am and 7.41:35am.

The affidavit which was tendered by the prosecution council, Shaun Abrahams, added that Okah had 1, 126 telephone calls with Ebere between August 7 and September 29, 2010. He was also said to have exchanged 59 SMSs with Ebere between July 1 and September 2010.

Zeeman said, “Ebere had been in contact with the accused right up to Sept. 29 2010. There were 1,126 calls from the accused to Ebere during the period, from August 7, 2010 to Sept. 29, 2010.

“There were also 59 SMSs sent from the accused to Ebere during the period July 1, 2010 and September 2010.”

The prosecution added in the affidavit that investigations also revealed that two vehicles – a Honda and a Mazda 626 – were purchased in Lagos on Okah’s instruction “by persons complicit in the crime” prior to the detonation of the bombs on October 1.

It stated that on Okah‘s instructions, the vehicles were conveyed to Port Harcourt, Rivers State where their boots were loaded with dynamite which were wired with timers.

The affidavit said at 11 am on October 1, the Honda was used in an explosion that went off at Shehu Shagari Way while approximately 10 to 15 minutes later, the Mazda 626 was utilised in the second explosion.

It said the explosions took place under the supervision of Orlu and Ebere, who acted on the instruction of Okah.

According to the affidavit, an e-mail communication between Okah and two arrested persons in Nigeria — John Tarmy and First Man — on October 1, 2010, reads, “Done, tell them to leave now.”

It added, “This selfsame e-mail was forwarded from First Man to Tarmy at 11.15am on October 1, 2010 and forwarded to the accused (Okah) the same day at 16. 25:40.

“There are further e-mail communications between the accused and persons arrested in Nigeria for the bombings of October 1, 2010 in Abuja with very revealing evidence. These are presently being investigated.”

The affidavit also showed that there were witness statements which implicate Okah as having been the mastermind of the attacks.

The prosecution told the court that Nigerian authorities had confirmed their willingness to render assistance to South African investigators against Okah.

“As a result, letters of request for mutual legal assistance will be submitted to the Nigerian Federal Government to obtain specific evidence,” it stated.

It said in order not to jeopardise investigations in South Africa and Nigeria, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses have deliberately been withheld for purposes of Okah’s bail application.

Zeeman stated that he had communicated with Nigerian law enforcement agencies which indicated willingness to supply more information.

Abrahams had said at the resumption of the hearing that the state had a strong case against Okah and that he should be denied bail.

Defence counsel, Rudi Krause, however, asked the court to step down the matter for him to study the new information and be able to respond.

In Abuja, there was confusion over the number of suspects arraigned in secret before a magistrate court in Wuse Zone 6. While the News Agency of Nigeria put the number at five, some television stations said the accused were between six and seven.

NAN, however, gave only the names of Charles, Ernest Orlu (younger brother of Chima Orlu), and Edmund Ebiware.

It was learnt that Okah’s son, Boloebi; Sola Ladoja; Charles’s securityman, Felix; and his friend were among those arraigned.

When our correspondent contacted the former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, to confirm if Sola was his son, he replied that no member of his family was arraigned before any court on Thursday.

The accused persons were brought to the magistrate court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja in two tinted buses amidst tight security by officials of the State Security Service.

Our correspondent learnt that as early as 5am, SSS operatives numbering over 50, arrived the court premises and cordoned off the nearby Makeni Street to ensure that nobody, including lawyers, gained entrance to the court premises.

Moments after the accused emerged from the closed-door session, the SSS operatives only allowed journalists a photo opportunity to capture the accused as they re-entered their vehicles.

A secondary school pupil, Nelson Akula, who was making a telephone call in front of his house on the street was beaten and whisked to an unknown destination by the operatives when they were driving off after the session.

A Naval officer who challenged them was threatened with guns. As at 7pm on Thursday, the whereabouts of Akula were unknown.

It was not clear whether the SSS brought them before the court for an order to remand them in custody pending the conclusion of investigations.

When our correspondent called the SSS Assistant Director, Public Relations, Mrs. Marylyn Ogar, to ascertain why the arraignment of the suspects was done in secret, she replied, “If you were in court you need not ask me why it was a secret affair; as such I don’t have any reason for the why, no further comment please.”

Chief Magistrate Oyetunde Oyewunmi adjourned the case till November 24 and ordered the prosecution to ensure that the suspects were allowed access to their lawyers in the interest of justice.

The suspects were accused of carrying out terrorist acts, conspiracy to cause bodily harm as well as felony against the state.

NAN quoted the counsel to Charles, Mr Oghenevo Otemu,as having told journalists after the short court session, that he was surprised at the secret trial.

He said that Okah’s trial in South Africa was more transparent as his counsel and journalists were allowed access to the court.

Also speaking, Mr Onyechukwu HighKing, lawyer to Ernest wondered if the case was transferable.

HighKing said it was wrong to arrest and join Ernest, an oil company worker in Port Harcourt, for prosecution in an offence allegedly committed by his brother.

On his part, Mr Ugochukwu Ezekiel, counsel to Ebiware, said the government was denying the accused persons their fundamental rights to representation and fair hearing.

“The accused should have the right to access to the counsel of his choice. We will fight it legally in court,’’ Ezekiel said.

The SSS had earlier arraigned nine suspects in connection with the blast, thus bringing the total number of accused persons standing trial to 14.

Ekiti PDP dares Fayemi over planned probe of Oni

PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State, has dared the new governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to go ahead with his threat to probe the immediate past administration led by Engr. Segun Oni, saying the planned probe was aimed at blindfolding the people from monitoring the programmes of the new government.

A statement by the Party’s Director of Communication and Strategy, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, said ACN government was merely playing a script to deceive the people of Ekiti State.

According to the statement: “All this threat of probe on our party’s government led by Engr. Segun Oni by the ACN Governor, Mr. Kayode Fayemi, has come to us as an attempt to blindfold the people of the State from monitoring the much celebrated developmental agenda of the ACN government.

“We challenge the Governor; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to carry out this retrogressive threat so that the world would know who has come to develop the state and those who have come to mortgage the fortune of the Fountain of Knowledge.’’

PDP maintained that there was no amount of threat that could change the legacy of transparency and accountability of the PDP government led by Segun Oni, saying that Fayemi should face the reality on ground that it would be difficult for him to match the work done, both completed and on-going.

“There is no doubt that the government is in confusion now as to where its programmes will start. This has led to the lopsided appointment that was just released. Or how can one imagine the governor and the secretary to the state government coming from Oye Local Government Area, an area out of the 16 local government areas.

In normal political calculation, the governor comes from one district, the deputy from another district while the secretary to the state government will represent the third district.

Okah exposed; brother, 6 others arraigned

STATE Security Service, SSS, yesterday, arraigned Charles Okah, younger brother to the embattled ex-leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND, Mr. Henry Okah, his son, and five other accused persons before a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Abuja over their alleged involvement in the October 1 twin-bomb blasts.

The suspects were arraigned on a day the South African prosecution tendered before a Johannesburg court revealing evidence on Henry Okah’s contacts with the suspects on how the Abuja bomb blasts were planned and executed.

Henry Okah who is facing trial in the South African court over the same Abuja bomb attack is presently battling to be granted bail which the prosecution is opposed to.

The seven accused persons were brought to court in a commando-style by SSS operatives who chased lawyers, court clerks and journalists out of the court premises, even as they barricaded all streets connecting the court and forbade any form of movement by residents within the area.

One of the four Abuja blasts suspects, Mr Charles Tombrah Okah, in handcuffs, being led out of the Federal Capital Territory Chief Magistrates Court, Wuse Zone 6, yesterday in Abuja

Charles, his son, Boloebi Okah; Edmund Ebibare, accused of exchanging text messages with Chief Raymond Dokpesi; Ernest Nwosu Olu, younger brother of one Chima Olu that was earlier declared wanted by the SSS; Shola Ladoja, Felix Kuffre said to be a security man for Charles as well as his unidentified visitor, were marshalled into the lower court complex around 8: 45 am after they arrived in two unmarked buses with tinted glasses.

30 SSS vehicles

Over 30 SSS vehicles that escorted them were used to block all the streets leading to the court while armed operatives mounted sentry with a view to ensuring that no one got close to the perimeters of the Magistrates court located in Wuse zone 6, Abuja.

Frantic efforts by three lawyers from Keyamo Chambers, who insisted that Charles Okah and his co_accused persons had contacted them to handle the case, was vehemently resisted by the SSS men who maintained that they acted in accordance with an order from above.

It was not until around 9:30 am, when the court had concluded its proceeding and the accused persons about to be whisked back to an unknown detention centre, that the Public Relations Officer of the SSS, Mrs. Marilyn Ogar, succeeded in prevailing upon the stern looking operatives to allow journalists to take pictures from afar.

Marilyn, however, refused to answer questions thrown at her by newsmen, stressing that she was not allowed to speak to the press on the matter.

She said: “I cannot say anything to the press on this matter as I am not permitted to do so. The fact that I have done you people a favor by allowing you to take pictures, is that not enough? This is how you people usually put someone into problem.”

Efforts to get a copy of the criminal charge preferred against the accused persons equally proved abortive, just as the defence team, led by one Mr. Oghenovo Otemu, decried the closed door pattern adopted by the SSS in prosecuting the matter as a violation of section 36 of the 1999 constitution.

He said that not only were the accused persons denied access to their counsel, but that the SSS had refused to furnish them with a copy of the charge upon which they were standing trial.

Otemu said: “We have repeatedly applied for the charges against our clients but both the court and the SSS blatantly refused. It is important for the prosecution in this matter to realize that the accused persons also have their fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution.

“So far as we are concerned, there is no proper charge before this court and whatever decision the court takes in this political trial will amount to a nullity and we are taking steps to ensure that the constitutional right of the accused persons to fair hearing and defence by counsel of their choice as stipulated in section 36 of the 1999 constitution is respected and enforced.”

Meantime, Vanguard reliably gathered that before adjourning the matter till November 24, presiding Magistrate Oyebola Oyewumi , yesterday, threatened that she would hands-off the case on that day should the SSS continue to shroud the prosecution in secrecy and the accused persons denied right of representation.

The source who pleaded anonymity, said that Magistrate Oyewumi went ahead to order open trial in the matter, yesterday, stressing that she would only hear the matter when it was allowed to undergo a normal court proceeding.

The magistrate was said to have also ordered the SSS to furnish the defendants with a copy of the charges against them, as well as allow them access to counsel of choice.

Though the source refused to speak further on what transpired inside the courtroom, SSS PRO, Mrs. Ogar, however, maintained that all the accused persons were properly arraigned in court.

Meanwhile, as the prosecution reopened its case in the application against bail for Okah, in the South African court, the supplementary affidavit tendered by the prosecution showed phone records of Okah’s communication with one Chima Orlu (still at large) severally around the period.

An affidavit deposed to by an officer with the South African Police Service, SAPS, Lt. Col. Noel Zeeman stated: “Orlu’s telephone records have revealed that he had been in contact with the accused on numerous occasions leading up to October 1. Of greater significance is that Orlu had sent an SMS message to the accused at precisely 10.58:59 a.m on October 1, 2010. This SMS was followed by another SMS from Orlu at 13hr 3:01a.m and again at 13h29:59 p.m the same day.”

Purchase of cars in Lagos

Zeeman, revealed that SMSs were sent to Chima Orlu by the accused on September 30, 2010 at 12h 38:11p.m and on October 1 at 6h 02:39am, 7h40:20am, 7h41:22am and 7h41:35am.

The affidavit stated that investigations revealed that two vehicles, a Honda and a Mazda 626 were purchased in Lagos on the instruction of the accused prior to the detonation of the two vehicle improvised devices on October 1.

It stated that on Okah’s instructions, the said vehicles were conveyed to Port Harcourt where booths of the vehicles were loaded with dynamite which were wired with timers.

The affidavit further said at 11 am on October 1, the Honda was used in an explosion that went off at Shehu Shagari Way while approximately 10 to 15 minutes later, the Mazda 626 was utilised in the second explosion which killed 12 persons and injured many others.

It said the explosions took place under the supervision of Orlu who acted on the instruction of Okah, adding: “On October 1, 2010, Orlu made a total of 43 voice calls and had sent 27 SMS messages to co_perpetrators and co conspirators.”

It said Ben Ebere, who is at large, and also known as Ben Jesse, assisted Orlu in supervision of the said explosions.

It added: “Ebere had been in contact with the accused right up to September 29 2010. There were 1,126 calls from the accused to Ben Ebere during the period, from August 7, 2010 to September 29, 2010. There were also 59 SMSs sent from the accused to Ben Ebere during the period July 1, 2010 and September 2010.’

The affidavit said an e_mail communication between arrested persons in Nigeria, namely, John Tarmy, First Man and the accused on October 1, 2010, communicates the following “done, tell them to leave now,” adding: “This selfsame e-mail was forwarded from First Man to John Tarmy at 11h15am on October 1, 2010 and forwarded to the accused the same day at 16h25:40.

“There are further e-mail communications between the accused and persons arrested in Nigeria for the bombings of October 1, 2010 in Abuja with very revealing evidence.

These are presently being investigated.”

It revealed that Nigerian investigators had also revealed that the accused brother, Charles Okah, conspired with the accused and Orlu and others in coordinating and directing the detonation of the bombs.

It said there were also witness statements which implicate the accused as having been the mastermind of the attacks, while Nigerian authorities have confirmed their willingness to render assistance to South African investigators against the accused.

“As a result, letters of request for mutual legal assistance will be submitted to the Nigerian Federal Government to obtain specific evidence,” it stated.

It said in order not to jeopardise investigations in South Africa and Nigeria, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses have deliberately been withheld for purposes of the application.

Ziman stated that South Africa and Nigeria were working closely in the matter and he had communicated with Nigerian law enforcement agencies which indicated willingness to supply more information.

Prosecution counsel, Shaun Abrahams, who tendered the affidavit in court, said the State had a strong case against Okah and he should be denied bail.

Defence counsel, Rudi Krause asked the court to step down the matter for him to study the new information and be able to respond.

S-West PDP stakeholders lament loss of Ekiti – Gov Daniel

GOVERNOR Olugbenga Daniel of Ogun State yesterday admitted that things were no longer rosy for the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] in the South West saying that members of the party would have to be careful to prevent the total annihilation of the party in the area.

According to him, the loss of Ekiti State was the worst disaster to have ever happened to the party which he said has not been able to manage its successes very well.

Addressing members of the Presidential Campaign Council of Goodluck Jonathan for President in the South West Zone at his Asoludero Court in Sagamu, the Governor said members of the party would have drop their individual selfish aspirations for the common good of the party if it would regain its glory.

He said “in this room our expectation is that we should tell ourselves the truth and if the truth must be told; in the politics of the South west, we do have challenges. My worry is that when former President Obasanjo was there we could not take Lagos. I do not think we have managed our victory well.

Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel who is the south west coordinator, Goodluck Sambo presidential campaign commitee welcoming the Ondo State coordinator, Chief Olusegun Agagu to the 2nd edition meeting of the Southwest committee meeting held at the governors private residence in Sagamu, Ogun State with them is a PDP stalwart in the zone, Senator Yinka Omilani

“The worst disaster is losing Ekiti State. If we are not carful, and God forbid, it could be the end of our party in the South West. The capacity of our party to manage crisis is nil. We are all endangered species.

“If we think deeply, we will know. We must forget this issue of I want to be Governor, Senator or anything. We must work together, otherwise we will look like jokers, and if we lose it; it will be terrible.

“In Ogun State, there is no other party. What we have is internal crisis. But we will not concede one inch of space to the rampaging machinery. What happened in Ekiti State is a big shame to all of us without exception. What we have in our hand is a major challenge.

“In Osun, what I am hearing is scary. If that kind of thing happen, it will be a disaster. I think people here should be able to go back home and tell the Governor some things. We must bury self interest.

“I was with the former Governor of Ekiti and some members of his exco yesterday and they are feeling bad. They feel unhappy. They feel a sense of abandonment and feel bad that their President even congratulated the new Governor a few hours after the court case; they feel he should have at least waited for 24 hours. But I explained to them that he is the president of all”

Daniel said that on the issue of Jonathan for President, the people said that they should at least be left alone to decide who to support for the Presidential race and that some of them complained that even the Speaker has congratulated Dr. Kayode Fayemi in a paid advert.

The Governor who was apparently ready to be brutally frank with the delegates was about going on before newsmen were asked out of the meeting.

There are indications that the former Governor of Ekiti State Engr. Segun Oni may leave the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for another political party in the country.

Sources at yesterday’s meeting revealed that Oni who was sacked by the Court of Appeal, Ilorin last week may resort to this option as a result of his frustration over the refusal of President Jonathan to intervene on his behalf over the Ekiti gubernatorial dispute.

The source further said that the Presidency bluntly refused to help Oni when his assistance was desperately needed before the Appeal Court judgement was delivered. Oni was conspicuously absent at the meeting even though his name was advertised in some national dailies as one of the facilitators of the gathering.

Although the assembly of PDP chieftains in the zone was for the purpose of setting up structures for the Jonathan Presidential Campaign Council, it also became an opportunity for reviewing the fortunes of the party in the zone, especially in the light of the loss of Ekiti State to the rival Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Indeed, the entire leadership of the party in the zone was engaged in a serious soul-searching as was reflected in the somber mood at the meeting which held inside the residence of the Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

In his effort to ensure that the mobilisation of the zone for President Jonathan is total, Daniel had reached out to many groups including those outside the PDP. One of such groups was the Coalition of Odua Self Determination Groups (COSEG) which made a presentation at the meeting.

The Secretary of the group Mr Razak Olokoba who spoke on behalf of COSEG expressed their reservations over the call of the Presidential Council for the people of the South-west zone to throw their weight behind President Jonathan in next year’s general elections.

He continued: “ The attitude of the people and leadership of the Ijaws toward we the Yorubas has been suspicious since President Jonathan assumed office”

Olokoba cited the recent flooding incident in Lagos and queried why the President should only pledge peanuts as financial assistance on behalf of the Federal Government.

“How can the peanuts he pledged to give the zone be enough to address the flood disaster which affected Lagos and Ogun States?” he asked.

He recalled that sometime ago when the militants of the Niger Delta wanted to blow up the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos but had to be stopped because of the intervention of COSEG. He expressed regret that the militants still went ahead to blow up Atlas Cove also located in Lagos last year.

He insisted that the position of the group is that the people of the South-West should be allowed to enjoy their lives in a true federation.

Olokoba lashed out at politicians who hail from the zone adding that the group was not impressed with the agenda of the PDP in the zone.

“In the last 10 years, Yorubas have experienced 43 percent economic depression” he said.

He urged the gathering to be cautious over recent political happenings in the country especially against the background of some people who have been beating the drums of war over the issue of power shift.

Said he: “ The threat of war in this country is real because there are two ethnic groups desperate to capture power; the two groups are the Ijaws of the Soutth-South and the Hausa-Fulani of the North”.

He therefore advocated that convening a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) was still essential for the survival of the nation.”

According to him: “ Our demands also include restructuring of the federation so that those who want Sharia law to be implemented in their zone could have their way while other zones in the country who want things like special security arrangements including police road-blocks may incorporate same into their security mechanism to check crime as this may not be necessary at the same time nation-wide”.

He observed that many
Igbos may have embraced crime as a response to the second class status the people of that zone have been reduced to since the end of the civil war.

In his own speech at the occasion while presenting the report of a Committee which was set up to articulate the interest of the people of the zone, a chieftain of the party Chief Victor Oladunni said there is need to present a paper to President Jonathan on how the mineral resources of the zone have to be exploited adding that if the Olokonla Free Trade Zone is established, it would boost the economy of the zone.

He also lamented over the dilapidated state of the federal roads in the zone adding that his committee had earmarked the Lagos-Ibadan Express road; the Shagamu-Benin Express road and the Ibadan-Ife roads among many others which are in a deplorable condition.

He also called on the Jonathan administration to allocate more revenue derived from VAT to Lagos since the former federal capital generates more than 70 percent of the fund.

Earlier before Daniel’s speech, 17 field officers for the Jonathan/Sambo campaign team from the states in the South West, South East and South South were presented by the Director of Planning and Strategy; Mr. Mike Omeri and were inaugurated by Governor Daniel.

Also inaugurated were 27 people from Ogun State with Prince Yanju Lipede as State Coordinator and the 26 others as coordinators in the 26 states constituencies in Ogun State.

The coordinators who are said would monitor delegates would each be given a vehicle by the state and would give weekly or bi monthly reports to the state coordinator.
Prominent members of the party in attendance included Senator Yinka Omilani, the Minister Youth Development; Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, former Minister of Defence; Chief Demola Seriki, Ambassador Musiliu Obaniko, former Deputy Governors of Lagos State; Sen. Kofoworola Bucknor Akerele, Femi Pedro and Rafiu Jafojo, Senator Femi Ogunlewe, Ambassador Adeniran, Senator Wahab Dosumu and Prince Dayo Adeyeye

Aregbesola vs Oyinlola: Appeal court hears final address Nov 1

The Court of Appeal, Ibadan, has shifted backward the final addresses by parties in the Osun State Governorship Election to November 1, 2010.

The Appeal panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, had last Tuesday fixed hearing in the appeal filed by the Governorship Candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Osun State, Engr. Rauf Aregbesola for November 3, 2010.

The latest development was contained in a hearing notice signed by a Senior Registrar of the Court stipulating that the adoption of final addresses by parties would now come up on November 1.

The notice was addressed to lead counsel from both the Appellants and the Respondents in their service addresses on Thursday with a handwritten addendum that “Note please:- This date supersedes the date announced in court”.

- Vanguard

We ‘ll not negotiate with kidnappers – Ondo state governmentt

ONDO State government yesterday took a swipe at the kidnappers of the 80-year-old mother of a Commissioner in the state, Madam Pege Esther Tewe and her 12-year-old grand daughter Rachael Lawrence, describing them as heartless and wicked.

Addressing newsmen on the outcome of its weekly state Executive Council meeting, the Information Commissioner, Mr. Ranti Akerele, vowed that government would not negotiate with the kidnappers who were described as criminals and ungodly.

Last Friday, about 10 gun-wielding militants in two speed boats invaded the home of the Commissioner, Chief Tola Wewe, at Sabome in Ese Odo council area of the state and took away the aged mother and her grand daughter.

Akerele, however, assured the people of the state that security operatives were working round the clock to ensure the release of the victims from their captives.

According to him: “The security operatives were working to ensure that lives and properties are secured in the state and we want to assure the people of the state that there is no cause for alarm.

“Our people should sleep with their two eyes closed. The state government is on top of the situation and we appeal to the kidnappers of the 80 year old woman to have a rethink. It is the height of inhuman action and depth of human wickedness to have kidnapped an old woman from the comfort of her home.”

-Vanguard

Senate concludes preliminary work on constitution review

The Senate on Thursday received the report of its ad hoc committee on constitution review on the second amendment to the constitution.

The report is based on the public hearing organised by the Senate on the bill three days earlier.

The bill was read for the first time the week before and according to the deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, the bill is in consonance with the new dates demanded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for adjustment to the election time frame.

The bill sent from the president proposed that election be held not earlier than 90 days and not later than 30 days before the end of tenure of the running office, as against the prevailing constitutional provisions of not earlier than 150 days and not later than 120 days.

Although the contents of the report are yet to be made known, indications have emerged that the Senate may have proposed a wider time line.

“We are hoping that if we give them not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days, it will give them the scope of time they need,” Ayogu Eze, the Senate spokesman told reporters the previous day.

“They (INEC) do not even need to change the law after this particular year when they are through in this next election. If they have time, they can start early because they now have enough time to start and fix election. So, we have given them enough scope within 150 days and 30 days. And I want to assure Nigerians that that will be delivered timely,” Mr. Eze added.

The bill comprises of 10 clauses dealing with time frame for elections and matters surrounding which court will be the final court of hearing for election petitions concerning governorship elections.

With the current development, voting on the bill is expected to hold on next Tuesday and thereafter, an accelerated hearing in the House of Representatives and the state Houses of Assembly is expected to follow.

“Nigerians should not be very anxious about whether we will meet the time frame to make all the necessary amendment both in the Constitution and the electoral act.

“We have enough time ... but I believe it will not go beyond Tuesday this time around, and that is really the crucial thing that INEC needs to give them that breath of time,” Mr. Eze said.

source: 234next